1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a shower bench for use by people having physical infirmities.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of benches or chairs in a shower stall is known in the prior art. For example, Temco Healthcare Industries, Inc., 125 South Street, Passaic, N.J., manufactures a bathtub transfer bench, Model 1995 which comprises a horizontal platform supported by two pairs of legs. One pair of legs sits inside the bathtub and the other pair of legs sits outside the bathtub so that the bench seat straddles the edge of the bathtub. Temco Healthcare Industries, Inc. also produces shower chairs such as models 1979, 1984 and 1985. Chairs may also be produced with or without backs such as in models 1994 and 1996. Seating devices for showers are produced by other manufacturers as well.
One of the more advanced shower benches is described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,253,203 and 4,359,791. The inventor in both patents is Morton I. Thomas. U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,203 discloses a folding transfer bench which allows a patient to transfer from the exterior of a bathtub to the interior of a bathtub on a sliding chair. The chair is mounted on rollers which roll across a pair of parallel tracks from the outside to the inside of the bathtub and vice versa. U.S. Pat. No. 4,359,791 discloses an advanced version of the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,253,203. Both patents relate to the Temco Healthcare Industries Product Model 1999 known as the "Bio-Care.TM. Bathtub Transfer Bench".
One of the major problems associated with prior art shower benches is the tendency for the equipment to tip if improperly used. It is especially important that the chair portion of the bench be extremely stabile and strong. It is likely that a patient might put a lot of weight on the back of the chair and, due to a combination of leverage and weight, cause the chair to separate from the rail and tip over. Therefore a clear need was identified to increase the stability of the chair portion of the shower bench without sacrificing ease of use.
Similarly, it is highly desirable to stabilize the bench with respect of the bathtub. This can be accomplished by clamping one end of the transfer bench to the edge of the tub. However, this extra bit of manipulation may be difficult for invalids especially those who have arthritis or other debilitating manual diseases. Therefore another need was identified which required the attaching of a transfer bench to the edge of a bathtub in the simplest, easiest yet safest possible fashion. It was in the context of the foregoing prior art and identification of needs that the present invention arose.